A parent cooperative for young children

November 2013

We’re coming into the holiday season and we have some pretty active classes at TCNS. So far we’ve been very lucky with the weather and have gotten outside almost every day. As the temperature turns chilly, please be sure to send your child with warm outdoor clothing. Lightweight mittens are also a good idea since the chains on the swings can be very cold! It’s also very helpful to label outdoor clothing to avoid confusion and misplaced items.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the bulb sale. The bulbs should arrive soon and can be planted any time before the ground freezes. T-shirt orders will be coming up soon, and tote bags are available anytime for $5. Both make great gifts for grandparents!

Remember, the week following Halloween we’ll be collecting candy for Operation Gratitude. Please bring your extra candy to school by Friday November 8th. It’s a great cause and helps clear the extra candy out of your house!

Make sure to look closely at the November calendar. There is no school on Monday, November 11th and Friday the 22nd and there are no classes November 23rd to 25th for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our next parent meeting is Tuesday, November 19th at 6 pm with pizza. Remember children are welcome! We’ll go over last minute details for Fun with Santa and share some holiday craft ideas.

Fundraising: Fun with Santa is fast approaching! Check the list of last year’s silent auction donors at the top of the stairs and sign up. We’re asking each family to get 2 donations. A donation of your own talents or family business is also welcome. The silent auction committee would appreciate having all donations in before Thanksgiving. That will give the group plenty of time to organize!

This month we will start Friend of the Week in the preschool classes. Each week one or two children will be scheduled to bring in 6-8 photographs to share at with the class during circle time. We usually get photos of grandparents, pets, vacations, whatever your child wants to share. Please check the calendar for your child’s turn.

I will be available on November 12th, 13th & 14th from 11:30-12:15 for anyone who would like to check in about their child’s progress. This is not a regular in-depth conference like we will have in March, but offers a chance to bring up any questions or concerns. We are also happy to meet with you any day after school or on your parent helper day, and you can always email me (austicloz@hotmail.com).

November Preschool Activities: Our themes this month will be nocturnal animals, health, family & thanksgiving to end the month. We’ll start the first week by reading Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. We will talk more about seasonal changes, the time change, and nocturnal animals. We’ll watercolor, make a nighttime collage and paper bag puppet. The following week we’ll read Where’s my Hug by Amy Hest and Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson and talk about hygiene and healthy food choices. We’ll make a germ collage, and bear picture, and food collage. The week before Thanksgiving we’ll read Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks by Margaret Sutherland and talk about being thankful. We’ll make pasta necklaces, handprint turkeys, paint with feathers and cornhusks, and bake pumpkin pie!

Terrific Twos: In our Twos class we will be discussing families in November. We will start the month with Move Over, Rover! By Karen Beaumont. We will move onto Owl Babies by Martin Waddell. Then finish the month with Feeling Thankful by Shelley Rotner and Shelia Kelly. Please remember to send in your family picture if you have not yet. We look at our family board every day and talk about each family. The kids are so proud and want to share about their own families. This is a great way to expand conversation in our class.